Historical The Devils Foot
'The Adventure of the Devil's Foot' (DEVI) is one of those rare cases where chronologists think Dr. John H. Watson got it right. He told us it was "Tuesday, March 16, 1897." Boom. Mic drop.
Of the 40+ chronologies I have, the agreement is solid. Fourteen people concur that the case started that day (but don't go further). Two say it lasted two days (the 16th and 17th). Three say it was from the 16th until the 18th. Three others say it was until the 19th. Six say it went on until the 20th. Another says it probably lasted until the 20th, one says it was late March, four say simply spring, and five more just agree it was indeed March 1897.
But, there's always one.
Ernest Bloomfield Zeisler says the case was April 17 - 18, 1897. Why? Well, Watson also said it was spring, and that starts March 21. Thus, the case had to be after. Zeisler uses flowers, average temperatures, and ship schedules to make a pretty strong case. (I really appreciate him finding a ship to help work all this out. A man after my own heart.) Ol' E. B. is flying solo once again, but I like his logic. It makes sense to me. He convinces me to take a closer look. I might have to go sit at the little table with him afterward.
